Star Wars Roleplay: Chaos

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Shadow Out Of Time [ TSE Dominion of Chiloon Rift Hex ]

Her ships had located an asteroid, roughly four thousand meters in size, from top to bottom and across. It was perfect to make an asteroid base out of, and once it was began being hollowed out. Though the first thing was she had to stabilize it, then get atmospheric shielding on it. Her first job was to get close, the ship she was on she had brought off the shelve from some company. The ship was going to be cannibalised, and become part of the station. She had to plot a course to it, this would take her men time. As her ship commander did, she heard a mining operation was going on near by.

So she decide to contact [member="Count Marlow Venjuta"], who was leading it. As she did she stood in front her holo screen, she sent him a data on her mining droid. To see if he was interested in having some shipped over to him, as she had spare droids in the area, for her own. As well as the fact she could get some some more delivered to her, if she had a short fall. As her holo screen came on, she said ​Count Marlow Venjuta, I believe you're doing a mining operation in the nearby star system. I have some mining droids available that may help you, and just sent you the information on them if you're interested in them. She waited for his reply, but stood relatively still.


Post: 2
 
Location: The Chiloon Rift, Approaching the asteriod
Objective: Waiting

Jacob remained silent as he stood, arms held behind his back as he looked out the viewport as the vessel drew closer to their target.

Occasionally he looked away, taking in the latest of their group that had arrived on the bridge. There were the couple he didn't recognize, Emile Kaiden and the Chiss; Darth Filae. Although he did recognize Venthis, who he recalled from their last excursion on Serenno. In that same moment though, Jacob realized he hadn't seen the Zambrano arrived, and from the looks of his posture and placement, he had been sitting there for a bit.

How interesting...

He gave the man a slight nod, before his attention was snapped away by the last arrival - a sizable one at that.

The bear-like creature stomped across the bridge, whether the crew were familiar with his presence or not didn't seem to matter. He was an imposing figure one way or another, and anyone who was in his way quickly moved as he made a beeline for Darth Saarai. It was indeed quite amusing to see the towering Balinaka standing at the Lord Inquisitor's side.

"We begin soon."

He watched as the Thirriken jumped into a nearby seat to address the communications. Jacob remained where he was, listening in to what he could at least hear being said. From his angle on the bridge he could see the shift in Saarai's features as the human on the other end rambled. Either way it seemed the message was eventually ended with more information being sent their way.

Jacob's wrist computer beeped silently, indicating the map data had been sent through the commlink and to the datapad. He brought up the map in question and began to examine it closely. That was until the vessel lurched onwards to the now freshly opened hangar bay. Jacob braced himself, knowing well enough they'd be soon feeling the effects of the Light Nexus.

[member="Darth Saarai"] | [member="Eldaah Aderyn"] | [member="Darth Filiae"] | [member="Venthis Zambrano"] | [member="Emile Kaiden"] | [member="Darth Caecus"] | [member="Helix Syndicate"]​
 
The Chiloon Rift
Inquisitorial Vessel
Droids and turrets huh?

Nethil was quick about looking through the map, loading into her memory bank for easy access. She highlighted the points in which the droids and turrets were supposed to be set. This was just her sort of thing.

Her voice cut through the momentary silence

I can neutralise the droids, probably even take them over. All I need is a few moments in their vicinity, undisturbed.

Old clankers were useful as mine detectors and personal shields, but little else when it came down to it. Still, she thought it might be preferable to turn an obstacle into an advantage. If she fell short and only got a few on their side, it would still give them a greater advantage than they had as it was.

Path of least resistance. We conserve our strength this way.

The light nexus would make it difficult, she knew, but not impossible. Mechu-Deru was not the darkest of abilities, even if it was fed by her desire to own, to dominate and bend the metal creatures to her whim. She was certain she could pull it off.

Nethil smiled a sly smile, confident perhaps beyond her abilities.

[member="Darth Saarai"] [member="Darth Caecus"] [member="Venthis Zambrano"] [member="Jacob Crawford"] [member="Helix Syndicate"] [member="Eldaah Aderyn"] @Emile Kayden
 

Vereshin

Guest
V
Location: The Chiloon Rift
Objective: Discover the Time Foundry
Allies: [member="Cerbera"] @anyone who is interested!

The master ushered Vereshin over to the viewport and slight blush heated his cheeks at her welcoming manner. Courtesy appeared a rarity among Sith and while his master's constant belittling of him heightened his senses and strengthened his fortitude, he appreciated receiving a polite Sith every once in a while. Holding his hands behind his back, he strode behind her as they stopped to gaze upon the rift. An eternal volume of stars coiled into a spiraling void called to the Sith and beckoned him to explore the secrets deep within.

"Gorgeous." Vereshin cooed while leaning over for a closer look. Bringing a hand out from behind his back, he moved a foot forward and brushed the fingers over the glass. As the Sith Lady asked him just what he would potentially do with a time distortion field, he backed away slightly and held a finger to his chin in thought.

"Well, a Sith could tap into the gravitational pull in effort to halt the time of his own form, or siphon the dark matter to enhance his power." Vereshin answered the question in reference to the general sorcerer. He did not envision himself attempting such a feat in the meantime. He was simply using his imagination. "Or tear open the rift to destroy the surrounding matter, if a Sith has particularly nefarious means, that is." The acolyte pushed his glasses up his nose and raised both of his eyebrows. "Of course, that is something which intrigues me only theoretically." He finished with emphasis.

"Tell me, my lady, what is our first destination?" Turning around to face Cerbera, Vereshin widened his gaze with eager anticipation. Standing around and chatting began to make him antsy.
 
The Chiloon Rift
The Black Library


Only a few minutes later, Darth Caecus and the others were stepping down from the ramp into the hangar. There had been inklings before, but now the sensation of the Nexus, with feet on stone, began to grow. It should have been easier to sense from a greater distance, but this purpose was to protect the Library- kept hidden for so long- it shouldn't surprise them that it did not start wrapping tendrils around them until they finally neared their goal.

Beneath the mask and cloak, Kith Verloren wore the name of Caecus in much the same way she wore everything else. As borrowed, settled to keep her face and name secret. To prevent the galaxy at large from knowing that a clone of the woman who tried to destroy the galaxy with the Omega existed.... and to keep her creator from knowing just where she had gone. The mask served layered purpose over that pale face and stormy eyes, but there was nothing it could do to keep the tendrils of that Nexus at bay as she did everyone else.

I am Sith.

She knew it. Had known it from the moment she had gained consciousness in that cloning crèche. It was not a question, hard coded into the psyche of the clone from base programing. There had never been a doubt, then, about her position, her allegiance. She knew the woman she had been cloned from, had a shard of that spirit inside of her until Serreno. So when she set foot on the ground, she fully expected to feel the pressure and wrath of that nexus.

i7PXxcE.png


Oh, she certainly felt it. A pressure, seeking, searching for self doubt, for corruption.

It was like probing the socket of a missing tooth with your tongue. Tender, sore, strange in it's absence and returned to again and again. The place inside of her that had held that sliver of the original, inflamed and painful, resonated. But the place where the rotted tooth, that shard had been, was empty.

Kith was not a good person. She did not draw on the lightside, did not fight for what was 'just' or 'right'. But she did not act from anger, from hate, and certainly not from passion. She killed when she had to, and felt no remorse- but not as an animal for the sake of the blood lust. Her preferred methods, neither light nor dark, hinged on remaining unnoticed. She did not hunger for power, for prestige, for vengeance.

But that was all it was. A pressure, one that kept on her shoulders, within her, knowing it needed to look there, but not finding what it expected. Because inside this mind were the unshakeable three words.

I am Sith.

But it found few of the hallmarks of what makes someone that in truth.

Huh.

She wondered, idly, what the others were feeling as they stepped off of the ship.

| [member="Jacob Crawford"] | [member="Darth Filiae"] | [member="Venthis Zambrano"] | [member="Emile Kaiden"] | [member="Helix Syndicate"] |​
 
Inquisition Ship,
Chiloon Rift.

Venthis nodded in turn to Jacobs. A soft exhale left the young Zambrano's mouth, as he glanced to the Chiss cyborg for a moment, squinting briefly at her plan before turning back to the front of the ensemble. Though he would be skeptical of her plan, he would do whatever was asked of him as he wasn't much of a leader at this point. He'd prefer to work in small groups than an army to get a task done. He would remove a small console, which was hooked onto his belt alongside his lightsaber, confirming that the coordinates had been sent to him. Giving a nod in confirmation towards Darth Saarai.

Then, along with the others making his way to the bottom of the ship, exhaling slowly as the ramp dropped. A vicious gust of seeming pressure began to tug at his head. A wave of power across his body, giving him great discomfort. Disregarding it, he continued down the ramp his boots planting firmly onto the metal ground on which they had landed on. He felt his power within the force, dissipating slightly. Frowning deeply, below the cloth that covered it. "There's something here. What is that feeling?" He said breaking his own silence, narrowing his eyes as he darted about for some type of device or machine that would do this to him.

Little did he know, that it was indeed a Force Nexus, a lightside one at that. Its aura would combat the darkside within him. He didn't like it at all, though he would seek out to destroy it.

[member="Darth Caecus"] | [member="Darth Saarai"] | [member="Jacob Crawford"] | [member="Darth Filiae"] | [member="Helix Syndicate"] | [member="Emile Kaiden"]
 

Emile Kaiden

Guest
E
Keeping quiet and to himself, Emile seemed more interested in his own person than the conversations, however minimal, at hand. Picking at his fingernails, he feigned only mild interest as he continued observing his fellows. None of them were overly familiar faces. No matter, he'd be sure to spend a good portion of the mission watching these 'comrades' more so than the actual mission at and. Surely, with this group of ready individuals he could afford not to devote his entire focus to the cause.

Sticking with the group as they landed and began their crusade, it was all too soon that he began to feel the effects of the force nexus. It dampened his senses, an uncomfortable sensation for the Anzat. Despite how subtle the change was in actuality, he felt bare, clumsy, loud in comparison to the silent killer of which his people were known. He'd been right to be concerned, no doubt.

"That, my friend," he drawled, addressing Venthis, "would be that lovely little force nexus we've heard so much about." Already, discomfort was pulling at Emile's patience and, oddly enough, satiating his every present appetite. The sooner they were away from this nexus, the better.

[member="Darth Caecus"] | [member="Darth Saarai"] | [member="Jacob Crawford"] | [member="Darth Filiae"] | [member="Helix Syndicate"] | [member="Venthis Zambrano"]
 
Location: The Chiloon Rift, The Black Library
Objective: Arrive & Assess

Even before the ramp had descended, Jacob could feel the Light Nexus. As the corvette had gotten closer and closer, the sensation increased, becoming more apparent.

Countless hands reaching out; grasping, trying to pull him in further.

It wasn't until he had set foot in the hangar itself, that it became truly prominent. Like a cloak that had been forced over his entire being, senses dulled and a persistant presence around him. An insect buzzing near an ear, the tick-tock of a clock in the back of his mind. Jacob reached out slightly, but immediately recoiled as those ethereal hands almost instantly tried to grasp ahold of it.

They found nothing but a wall, a web woven with thick threads of silk.

Though it seemed to find something, the spider lingering beneath the web, moving as the light tried to coax it out to no avail. His right arm began to itch. An impossible feat given there was no longer anything there to feel that sensation.

Jacob frowned slightly, before looking over at Venthis and Emile as the two conversed.

"I wouldn't say it's little, given we're already feeling its effects and we're only in the hangar. I'd say it's likely covering the majority of the library, if not its entirely." The Inquisitor took a few more steps, assessing the area around them, then turned to Darth Saarai. "Your orders, Lord Inquisitor?"


[member="Darth Saarai"] | [member="Eldaah Aderyn"] | [member="Darth Filiae"] | [member="Venthis Zambrano"] | [member="Emile Kaiden"] | [member="Darth Caecus"] | [member="Helix Syndicate"]​
 
Location: Chiloon Rift
Objective: Eyes and Ears

Behind her mask, her face twisted in displeasure as the feeling of the Light side nexus began to ebb out towards the Inquisition members here. There was the faintest of whispers in the back of her mind, telling her to leave this place, to allow it to remain untouched by the dark side. That voice would only grow more insistent once they disembarked within the hanger bay, but Eldaah pushed it aside. It wasn't hard, not for her... not after what her Master had done for her.

The man she had worked with on Kol Huro, [member="Jacob Crawford"], mentioned how he suspected the effects would only grow more pronounced as they delved deeper. That was likely the beauty of this nexus, forged by the Jedi to keep the Sith away from the prizes within. Already, she could feel a dampening on her powers of the dark side, something pushing and prodding her for any self doubt that might turn her from her path. There was no self doubt, nothing those voices would ever be able to find purchase in to even attempt a redemption. Her Master had seen to that. In the back of her mind, present as always, her Master was most intrigued by this particular nexus.

"The Jedi would have made sure the most important artifacts to guard are at the center of the nexus," she offered, even though for the Lords that would be a common knowledge thing. She was unsure what experience the others had in such things.

[member="Darth Saarai"] [member="Darth Filiae"] [member="Darth Caecus"] [member="Venthis Zambrano"] [member="Emile Kaiden"]
 

Lark

Saint of the Damned
Location: Chiloon Rift
Objective: Eliminate a band of pirates
Post: 2

Lark silently sat behind the captain of the illegal mining operation, knowing full well that he was not taking him to the time foundry. With every question that was asked the man assured Lark that the Foundry would appear at any moment, but Lark was no fool. In all likelihood, the man was leading him straight to an even larger den of barbarous individuals, which was exactly what he was hoping for. Such creatures would only hinder the efforts of the Sith in the area, and although Lark cared little for their little mining schemes the pirates would have to be purged regardless once the Rift was under their control. In having this captain take him to a large gathering of pirates, Lark could eliminate them all in one fell swoop. He'd send a message to the pirates of the galaxy: You are not welcome here. Trespass, and this shall be your fate.

Eventually, a large shuttle appeared, drifting between a small cluster of asteroids that looked as though they had been blown apart in some previous conflict. The vessel blended in well when positioned in-between the shattered rocks, even the most well-trained eyes would have trouble picking it out. "That does not look like the Time Foundry," Lark said, hiding a smile.

"It ain't!" The captain snarled. "That there's where all us pirate folk gather! Just about every pirate in the area stops there at some point or another. I've already told them what happened, as soon as we land they'll be there waitin' for ya!"

"Oh, so you've already informed them? Good. I suppose I have no further need of you." Lark stood, and in a quick step he had a knife to the back of the man's throat. "I must thank you. I never would have been able to find this place on my own." The man let out a grunt of surprise, the last pathetic gurgle he'd ever make.

He pushed the man out of the pilot's chair. Lark wasn't very familiar with piloting, if the pirates opened fire he'd be done for. But he was confident he could manage a decent landing. Once he was inside, he'd slaughter all aboard, and cleanse this detestable stain from the Rift for good.
 
Location: Hangar.
Objective: Explore.


The soft tick of talons scratching against the ramp of the corvette announced the Thirriken's descend into the hangar proper.

He did not seem immensely disturbed about the presence of the Light bearing down against him, pressing against the barriers of his walls and trying to find purchase... just a chink in his armor to break into and destroy him from the inside. But this was a situation where Tai was in the advantage compared to most Sith Lords, in fact, his situation was much the same as that of Caecus. Perhaps that was why they were able to work together as well as they did.

The simple truth was that Lord Saarai was disciplined, a voice of ratio and measured responses. He did not allow himself to be consumed by any petty emotion, be that anger, passion or anything else.

"Filiae will work together with Helix to neutralize as much of the inner defenses as they can." Lord Saarai finally said as he shivered against the cold embrace of the Light. "Focus, let go of your stray emotions, rein yourself in." The warning came a moment later as the Thirriken gestured for Caecus and the rest to follow him.

Large bulk doors separated them from the interior of the library.

"We could break through them. But Filiae might have a more elegant solution?"

[member="Jacob Crawford"] | [member="Darth Filiae"] | [member="Venthis Zambrano"] | [member="Emile Kaiden"] | [member="Darth Caecus"] | [member="Helix Syndicate"] | [member="Eldaah Aderyn"]​
 
Location: The Chiloon Rift
Objective: Discover the Time Foundry
Allies: [member="Vereshin"] @anyone who is interested!


Vereshin amused her.

He did not seem to be like the usual Sith; stupid, rash, obnoxiously over-confident and thirsty of blood. Which was not to say that the lad was competent or a candidate for further use, but that it was far more likely. She always preferred the academic in contrast to the stupid. It was presumably one of the reasons why she enjoyed Ophidia as much as she did.

Death wrapped around secretive knowledge.

"Can you keep a secret, Vereshin?" An amused smirk tugged up. "No matter, the secret is that I know where the Foundry is."

No, the real secret was how she knew this, but that wasn't up for grabs here right now. "We go to the very center of the Rift, past anomalies and storms, past pirates and reavers."

The trick here was to be small, fast and to the point.
 
[member="Darth Saarai"] [member="Darth Caecus"] [member="Venthis Zambrano"] [member="Jacob Crawford"] [member="Helix Syndicate"] [member="Eldaah Aderyn"] [member="Emile Kaiden"]
The Chiloon Rift
Inquisitorial Vessel

To Nethil, walking into the lightside nexus was a bit like getting punched in the stomach, and then immediately sedated. She felt lethargic, as if it actively tried to drain the fight out of her. Her mood turned steadily more sour as she had to dig deeper and deeper for the fire. There was more than one kind of frustration: One was dry, coarse, and put one’s mind to attention and action. The other was like pulling a mon cala eel from a bucket of slime: You just didn’t.

She stepped down the ramp, pinching her right arm between her metal thumb and forefinger until it bruised, the pain helped her to attention, to focus.

Discipline

The Csen’ai always said that to master the dark side of the Force was to master an ocean; if one was consumed by its depths, then one would only drown, never sail, ever conquer. She walked the thin between focus and outrage; focusing her energy into a beam. Perhaps it would have been easier to simply not be an uptight ball of spite, but she did not know that.

If it has circuits, then I can get it openPlease tell me it has circuits.

And as a thousand doubts pattered against her mind, fuelled by the nexus, Darth Filiae made a motion of cracking her knuckles, but the only sound to escape was the clack of metal on metal. Still, she looked confident as she sauntered over to the doors.

Putting both hands on the door, she closed her eyes and focused. First, she simply sensed, prodding the mechanisms and reading the electric signals. Each discovery connected to another, shaping a rudimentary map she drew up inside her mind. She could see it, the lock. Now she only had to – The lethargy lathered her in apathy, but she fought through it.– Click, clickclick, crrt- oh come on click. Yes!

Stepping back, Filiae swiped her hands out to the sides. The doors opened like a yawning giant, granting entrance to the library. There was not a single doubt in her mind now:

I am Filiae.
 
drNp2Cw.jpg

The Chiloon Rift

The sense of jubilation was evident.

Even the most grim-faced officers were buzzed with anxious energy, their movements crisp and fluid as they went about their duties on the bridge of the Blade of Fate. It had only been a couple weeks since their grandiose victory at Krayiss II, and all had enjoyed the spoils of a well conducted victorious conquest. Little by little the Empire grew, more and more planets flocking to its cause as the unlawful grip of the Dominion crumbled away in the aftermath of their crushing defeat.

Faith in their Dark Lord had also been reinforced, for he had been down in the mud and the grime with the soldiers fighting the Dominion at every turn before being confronted by Jedi at the Courthouse steps. He had suffered grievous wounds, but had succeeded in driving them away and into the catacombs beneath Templestone. His probes and hunter-killers had failed to apprehend them, however, and a search was still technically being conducted. He didn't expect them to come up with anything, those two had probably already fled the planet aboard a transport or through some other means. Jedi were wily creatures, especially when driven underground and viciously hunted.

There would be others. With the Dominion crushed beneath the Empire's heel all that stood in their way was the Silver Jedi. The Dark Lord yearned to burn their temples and salt the earth upon which they stood, but the Empire was still too fresh, still too inexperienced. The Silvers may be decadent, but they still held great swaths of territory. The Empire must too expand and bolster its holdings before it could launch a strike against them.

Which is why he had dispatched his followers to the Rift, specifically in the pursuit of a curious little place called the Black Library. Rumors of its existence were uncovered by [member="Darth Saarai"] who then brought it to his attention, and he bequeathed him the task of finding it and securing it for the good of the Empire. Now he sat on the bridge of his personal warship, monitoring his progress as they infiltrated the station, waiting for the moment when the installation was neutralized so he could visit it in person.

Hopefully that wouldn't take long.
 
Location: Chiloon Rift.
Objective: Discover the Time Foundry.
Allies: [member="Cerbera"] | [member="Vereshin"]


"The true secret is never what ones knows that very few other do, the true secret will always be how one knows such knowledge when few people do."

The growling, yet softly uttered voice seemed to drift from the sparse few shadows that lined the room that the two were conversing in. Despite the fact that what shadows actually present were, by no means, prevalent enough to obscure and hide another from sight, they seemed to buckled at the uttered words, tearing apart as a cloaked figure strode forth from nothingness. Stereotypical in attire - a black robe hanging loosely over a form that it obscured by never being formfitting and drawn cowl that cast the face in shadows - and behaviour, even manner of appearance, it would be relatively easy to assume that such a figure was an Assassin. And whomever might have made such a conclusion would have found themselves correct in their thoughts as Darth Lykos allowed himself to be rendered visible to the gathered group of beings.

​Of course, such stereotypical attire and behaviour was a purposefully crafted illusion that the Iridonian chose to oft employ. He would allow others to stare upon him and conclude Assassin, he would let them form their ideas on him with little verbal prompting. But, in the end, by doing so they would fail to draw a true measure on his true character. Metaphorical mask after metaphorical mask were worn by the Zabrak and this was but one. He would leave them to think that they truly knew of him, his motivation and his skills, never revealing that, by doing so, they were simply playing into his hands and taking the Mask as Truth.

As the cloaked Iridonian neared the pair stood by one of the viewports, the Cloak of the Force he had employed to remain unseen and unheard left behind him in tatters, he would bow his head in greeting, hands clasped behind his back. "Lady Cerbera, correct?" Even with it phrased as a question, the tone of his stoic voice indicated he expected no answer. "A pleasure to meet you. I've heard of your work on Serenno from one old lady." For the briefest of moments, a sense of humour would tinge his words. "Along from a variety of whispers. If you will permit, I would enjoy the chance to listen to the tale from the source, as it were, some point soon." His cloaked head swiveled to stare at the Acolyte next, without even waiting for a reply to what he had already spoken, single amber eye glaring out through the shadows that hide his face with a fierce darkness. However, for as much as he had spoken to the Master, his words to the Acolyte were much less. "And Acolyte Vereshin, I presume? A pleasure."

Turning away from the pair to stare at the view of the rift before them, Lykos would fall silent. As he did so, he chose to tighten the reigns of the Quey'tek-crafted veil that served to hide his Presence, thoughts and emotions from the Force, rendering him as nothing more than a regular irregularity within the Force - unable to be sensed by all but the most skilled at peering into the ethereal. There was no direct reason for him to be doing so, he did acknowledge that face, but, it was in his nature to hide and obscure Truth of himself as much as possible as often as possible. However, just as he tightened the reigns on one veil, he loosened the reigns of another, letting the false-emotion Mask settle into place, whispering of FascinationInterestCautionAngerAnticipation.
 
The Black Library,
Hangar,
Chiloon Rift.

A simple nod was given in response, to Emile. A Force Nexus, he thought. How exciting. This was something he hadn't experienced before, he wanted to study it. Test its limits, or its effects at least. He turned to the front, following the Thrikken. Until they reached the two large monolith-like doors sealed in with metal. Venthis frowned at first, but at the mention of being able to breach through the doors with the help of the unknown cyborg, he seemed to return to his usual blank expression, gesturing to the door for her to attempt to open it.

"Might as well try." He stated blankly.

Glancing down afterward squinting briefly, taking in the effects of the Force Nexus. Noting them mentally to himself. Though something clicked in his mind, were they trying to keep us out or something within the library? He turned speaking to the entirety of the group.

"Are we to expect resistance?" He asked.

He turned his attention back to the door, his vision through the force being clouded by the tingling almost painful sensation running through his body. He frowned again, seeming frustrated.

[member="Darth Filiae"] | [member="Darth Saarai"] | [member="Jacob Crawford"] | [member="Darth Caecus"] | [member="Emile Kaiden"] | [member="Helix Syndicate"]
 
Oblivion.

Eternity.

A particular spirit, wandering the bloodied mechanical halls of an ancient Time(less) Foundry, whirring, churning, groaning, seemed to exist in a manner most perverse. It was the soul of a creature long defeated, long destroyed, long cast to oblivion. There should be no soul, its story finished, a soul forever bound to an arcane blade of a Pale Assassin known as [member="Lord Ajihad"]. The spirit yet persistent as it ever has for hundreds of years before its destruction... as it continued to persist through the decades... no, thousands of years inside the Rift. How did the spirit persist eternal when all had known it was cast to oblivion, denied even the hellish reprieve of the netherworld?



"Time..."



In an era where the stability of the timeline is always in question with such powerful cosmic entities such as Akala, destroying the fabrics of reality, the boundary between life and death, existence and not, between Oblivion... and Eternity, became increasingly blurred. In one recount, the spirit of the infamous Zambrano the Hutt was struck down and destroyed at the zenith of the Primeval's self-destruction. In another, that soul was merely released into the swirling vortex of distorted time that had made the Chiloon Rift so infamous for its ghost ships.

Thus the soul of the Last Jedi Lord, The Fallen Healer, The Sickness of the Valley of the Lords, Darth Durablis, Titus Zambrano, The Black Prophet Host of Balagoth Warlord Zambrano the Hutt... "Darth Balagoth", falling from an ancient monolith from another time and space, some version of this eldritch reincarnating entity had made its way back to the place of its death in this distorted reality, an anchor within the Rift from which the Soul could return to. A pile of rotted hutt flesh remained in a gelatinous mess of decayed organic matter remained within the Time Foundry, and a deep presence of unimaginable madness and power tainted the entire station from this place, a field of total dread and eldritch insanity surrounding the Foundry. A fleet of Time Rift-Class EW Assault Destroyers was in the midst of construction, while about a dozen decayed ships of the same variety seemed to orbit the station, as if they had been lost and wandered there for hundreds of years, like ghosts of a forgotten fleet somewhere in the vast expanse of this nebular maze...

Those who sought the military capabilities of the foundry... would find a greater challenge, and a greater opportunity than they could have ever imagined coming.

It would be a long decade for these visitors...

Location: The Time Foundry
Objective: Harass the Real and Living from the Edge of Eternity and Oblivion
Prey: [member="Darth Lykos"], [member="Cerbera"], [member="Vereshin"]
 

Vereshin

Guest
V
Location: The Chiloon Rift
Objective: Greet the dwellers of the rift
Allies: [member="Cerbera"] [member="Darth Lykos"]

Stepping away from the window, Vereshin slid his hands into his coat pocket while the Sith Lady beckoned him forward. He exchanged glances between the eyes of Cerbera and the rift, almost unable to pull his gaze away from the consuming gravitational field. The legend of the time foundry drew him to the rift in pursuit of the phenomenon which had fascinated him since childhood, black holes. The idea of a ship foundry built within the core of a singularity proposed ideas to him which reached far beyond the production of star ships.

"Yes, my lady." He said in anticipation before Cerbera answered directly. Pulling away in silence, he listened while she explained her knowledge of their destination. The approaching presence of another powerful Force user accompanied a looming voice from the entrance. "Yes, my lord, and a pleasure to receive you as well." Parting his lips in a coy smile, Vereshin turned around to nod his head in acknowledgement to Darth Lykos. "I am very interested in studying the mechanics of the rift to apply them to sorcery. How close will we be getting exactly?" Looking at Cerbera, he asked inquisitively. How the Sith Lady came to know of the Time Foundry did not particularly resonate with him, only that she knew how to travel there. Fixated to his interests, Vereshin remained only preoccupied with the phenomenon itself.

The ship surged into energy and moved forward. Striding forward to the window once more, Vereshin looked through the glass across stars, their light stretching with the rising speed of the vessel. A pause hung on the air, disrupted only the incessant droning of the engine to fill the noiseless void of space. As the wayward scholar reached into his coat for his notes, a great surge threw the moderately sized ship aside and did not travel from the natural movement of the engines. Stumbling forward, Vereshin planted his palms against the glass to balance himself and caught the feint traces of prints marring the outside surface.

"There's something on the outside!" The acolyte gasped under his breath. "I don't think it's stardust!" Looking over the glass, his eyes traced the journey of large, spider shaped tracks which traveled right over the entirety of the window and across the hull. The sound of a shriek from the control room pulled his head away to the rising smell of escaped gas and the hissing of smoke. They trespassed the maw of the rift and disturbed whatever dwellings lay within. Vereshin stood for the moment with his eyes fixed on the source of the hissing steam and curiosity drew him away from the window and past the two Sith Lords.

Running at a brisk pace towards the control room, he met the sight of a dilapidated vent and the same shape of the long tracks across the glossy surface of the floor. He hovered before the the mouth of the corridor and the fear he once felt no longer seemed to be present. Darth Abyss strengthened his fortitude and heightened his senses with his mentalist training. The sorcerer did not fear what lingered in the darkness, only an inane curiosity. Sliding a foot forward, he raised a hand a channeled his energy and kept his vision keen for the shifting movements of the creature skulking aboard the ship.

A gaunt face and thin skin stretched over revealed bones appeared momentarily in the flickering light of the damaged roof. Wisps of hair floating despite the presence of gravity hovered at the back of the corridor like an otherworldly specter. The Starweird hissed keenly and extended spidery hands. Stepping a foot backwards to propel himself on, Vereshin splayed both his hands violently and attached a course of lightning to the surface of the corridor, spreading a current of electricity throughout the space of the small hall and frying the lunging creature in the process. Before he could dart forward to eagerly look at just what he had found, more hissing traveled from the adjoining chambers. There was more than one.
 
[member="Darth Saarai"] [member="Darth Caecus"] [member="Venthis Zambrano"] [member="Jacob Crawford"] [member="Helix Syndicate"] [member="Eldaah Aderyn"] [member="Emile Kaiden"]
The Chiloon Rift
Inquisitorial Vessel

Filiae’s hands abandoned their grand gesture; the right fell to her side, staying close to her lightsabre, while the left went to the temple of her left eye. The eye adjusted to the dark, synchronising the map to what she could see in front of them. The recorded positions of the droids lit up in her vision.

The Helix Syndicate reported a number of droids present, as well as some defensive turrets. They did not mention Jedi, or other denizens.

She stepped inside the gates, shaking a nameless unease from her head and focusing again on their tasks at hand: Discipline, focus your hate into a singular point. She remembered the lesson well – It had marked her in more ways than one.

Still, I would not put it beyond the Jedi to squat in here somewhere, just waiting for someone to lecture.

She said it as if telling a ghost story, amusement playing in the back of her voice. Nethil took point in entering the Library, unclipping the lightsabre from her belt and turning it between her fingers. Her steps were careful, measured, and her head turned to survey the room for traps, turrets, and other threats.

What she stood in was an antechamber, meant to help regulate the flow of entry and exit. Her thumb traced the edge of the activation button of her lightsabre as she proceeded to truly step into the Black Library. Nethil held a breath, for a moment it was intensely quiet, as though she had gone deaf. Du-dunk: She felt her own heart beating. A second door opened as she approached. A light blinked on the map in her mind.

Down poured a hail of turret-fire with a relentless ratta-tat-tat. Nethil jumped a few steps back to avoid the first, then batted back the second and third before covering herself in a bubble of protective energy. The shots drummed against the surface and the Chiss gritted her teeth in effort, trying to stave off the relentless beating.
Doubt
She was locked down in defence.
 
Location: Antechamber
Objective: Defend.


Tai followed with Caecus next to him.

Yet, he did not speak, because this was a moment for them to show their worth. The new and the weak, the trainee and the apprentice, those who had taken their first step into the Darkside while trying to figure out just how deep the pool was. Filiae came through for them and they followed, the soft tick tick tick of his talons bouncing against the brushed steel of the floor. The farther they delved into the Black Library the more the clawing against his mind deepened in intensity.

The Thirriken wondered how the others fared, who had far more immersion in the Darkside than him.

Not a musing for the moment though, as it seemed they had stepped right into the first line of defense of the library. The Chiss first- she bubbled with practiced expertise, but it locked her down in the moment with no hope of maneuver.

Foolish. Had this been a training exercise Tai would have left Nethil to deal with the turrets herself- the bolts of the turrets raining down upon the force construct, until it collapsed in herself and forcing the young Sith to soak it up herself. Pain. Was that not a good motivation to do better next time? Yet, it had never been his to-go-to method of teaching and this place was too important to waste on a training session. He nodded towards Caecus- she knew what to do.

Then the Sith Lord pushed himself off, his form blurred from simple walk towards a blur of speed, causing his sudden appearance in front of Nethil's bubble to be much akin to teleportation.

His wingspan extended whole and feathers turned rigid and strong like immovable stone.

The blaster bolts burst against him... and they felt like little needle pricks.

[member="Jacob Crawford"] | [member="Darth Filiae"] | [member="Venthis Zambrano"] | [member="Emile Kaiden"] | [member="Darth Caecus"] | [member="Helix Syndicate"] | [member="Eldaah Aderyn"]​
 

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